


Over in the Meadow

by SpiralCreator



Category: Durarara!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Animal Transformation, High School, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-23
Updated: 2018-01-19
Packaged: 2019-02-06 02:15:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12807426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpiralCreator/pseuds/SpiralCreator
Summary: Tsukishima had only wanted to get to know Hachimenroppi a bit better. What he did not expect was to become acquainted with the rest of the Oriharas. After learning their secret, Tsukishima tries to become better friends with the other family while struggling to their keep secret from his own family.OR: When one of the Oriharas is embraced by someone he is not related to, he transforms into an animal that supposedly embodies him perfectly (and then transforms back into a human after a couple of minutes).





	1. The Pen

Tsukishima was informed that staring was rude, and as it is not in his nature to be rude, he refrained from doing so. It was difficult, but he managed. When he was young, and too afraid to interact with others, he would simply watch them curiously from afar. Now that he is older, but just as afraid, he lowers his head and only ever makes eye contact with the floor. Tsukishima no longer stares at others and by not doing so, he manages to maintain politeness.

Another moral dilemma arose, however, and that was the concept of thinking. That is, would it be rude to think of someone too much? This quandary arose when Tsukishima found his thoughts circling around a particular individual—one of his classmates. Now, no one would ever know that he thought about this person as much as he did, but did that make his actions permissible? Would the person currently occupying his thoughts be offended if he knew? Yes, _he_ , as Tsukishima could not rid of the thoughts revolving around the one known as Hachimenroppi. They had only ever spoken once, but that was enough for Tsukishima’s mind to be taken over.

Hachimenroppi, or “Roppi” as everyone called him, was silent and stoic, uninvested in the affairs of others, and isolated himself from the students, finding better company in books and the like. Rarely did anyone ever approach him due to his “evil aura,” but when they did, they would either be ignored or have their attempt at a conversation rejected forthwith. Other students often spoke behind his back, spreading rumors that Roppi had once killed a person, that Roppi was a part of the Yakuza, that Roppi was a demon, that Roppi did drugs, that Roppi was diagnosed with a terminal illness, that Roppi did this, and that Roppi did that… but they never had any evidence to support their claims. That was all they were: rumors. 

The fact that no one actually knew anything about Hachimenroppi made him all the more intriguing to Tsukishima. He wished to engage in a conversation with the mysterious classmate of his, but fearing rejection, he never gathered enough courage to approach him, let alone talk to him. What would he even say? 

Letting out an exhale, Tsukishima slumped in his seat. Class would be over in a couple of minutes anyway, so he allowed his mind to wander back to the reticent adolescent. Even though they shared most of the same classes, such as the one they were currently in, Tsukishima made it a mission not to get caught staring. The best way to not get caught was to not stare at all, but, as loathe as he was to admit it, Tsukishima did steal a couple of glances here and there. Sometimes his standards had to be sacrificed for the sake of obtaining a peek or two at the other.

Tsukishima could not help himself. He knew it was rude, but Roppi was such a scintillating individual and Tsukishima was certain that he would be a worthwhile conversation partner. He wanted to dispel the rumors that the other students were spreading by proving what an intelligent and kindhearted person Roppi actually was. Tsukishima was certain that there was more to Roppi’s character than what his dark appearance suggested. The fact that Roppi read so many philosophical and psychological books had to count for something. The reason that he seems so bored during class must be because he is so incredibly intelligent that he already knows everything. Or at least Tsukishima convinced himself of this. Moreover, he knew that contrary to common belief, Roppi did in fact have a heart. Just the other day, by complete chance, Tsukishima witnessed him feeding a stray cat. And the days that followed, not by chance, Tsukishima saw him feeding several stray cats.

Distracted by thoughts such as these, Tsukishima became startled when the bell rang and let out a quiet yelp. Blushing immediately, Tsukishima pulled his scarf up to cover up his face even more. He could not explain it, but wearing a scarf always helped him to maintain composure. It was comforting. Ever since he was little, he would always wear one and since his family realized that it helped him with his anxiety, they allowed it. Tsukishima went through a great deal of scarves—red, yellow, black, checkered, striped, and now gray. This one was fraying, however, and he would have to replace it soon. 

Adjusting his scarf once more, Tsukishima stood from his seat and packed up his bag. While the other students began leaving, Tsukihima chanced a glance at the occupier of his thoughts. Roppi lackadaisically rose from his seat, packing his things rather carelessly before leaving the classroom without saying a word to anyone. At the sight, Tsukishima emitted a fond sigh. As he was about to depart as well, something caught his eye. Moving closer to inspect the object, Tsukishima concluded that it was a black pen. But it was not just any pen! It was Hachimenroppi’s.

Picking it up quickly, Tsukishima analyzed it carefully. It seemed just like any other pen, a bit higher quality perhaps, but a pen nonetheless. The fact that it belonged to Roppi made it different, though. With this, Tsukishima could effectively engage in a conversation with Roppi, however short it may be. What better conversation starter was there?

Tsukishima put the pen in his messenger bag for safe keeping, believing that it would be best to return the pen tomorrow… but what if Roppi needed the pen to do his homework? What if it was his favorite pen and he would be worried about losing it? What if this pen was a family heirloom? Tsukishima could not let Roppi be without his pen! After all, it is just as Tsugaru (his oldest brother) says: “Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” And Tsugaru was never wrong.

With renewed conviction, Tsukishima hurried after Hachimenroppi in order to return the lost article.

✿ • ✿ • ✿ • ✿ • ✿ • ✿ • ✿ • ✿ • ✿ • ✿ • ✿ • ✿

Tsukishima had every intention to return the pen as soon as possible, but once again, he could not muster up enough courage to approach Roppi. Instead, he simply followed the other, waiting until a bit of bravery would arise. 

Evidently, that little spark of courage never came. And so he followed Roppi all the way to his home without getting his attention. If Tsukishima was not nervous before, he most certainly was now. To intrude on another’s living quarters was unacceptable. How could he ever gather enough courage to knock on the door? Maybe he could just leave the pen on their front porch? But what if the wind blew it away? It did appear as if a storm were approaching.

Tsukishima took a tentative step forward, but immediately retracted his foot. Not only was this the house of someone he knew very little about, but it was a very expensive house at that. Now, most people forget that Roppi is an Orihara, meaning that he comes from an exceedingly wealthy family. In order to even reach the front porch, Tsukishima would have to cross a garden and gate—both of which are private property. The gate was open, but would he be arrested if was caught walking on their land? Was there a bell he could ring nearby? Did they have a guard dog? Some people did say the Oriharas owned a dog, but he had never seen—

“Hello, stranger! Did you need something?” A sudden voice behind Tsukishima made him stumble. Once he regained footing, his fingers began fidgeting with his scarf as he turned around to face the one addressing him: Psyche Orihara.

“I-I wasn’t going to step inside! I p-promise,” he fumbled with his words, hoping Psyche would not be too upset at him. Psyche was a senior after all whereas Tsukishima was only a sophomore. The age difference alone was enough to make Tsukishima apprehensive. Not only that, but Psyche probably did not know who he was. The only reason Tsukishima knew of Psyche was because the Oriharas were rather popular among their classes and the school as a whole. Not only were they eccentric in their own right, but they were often the leaders of clubs, boards, and teams. Psyche being the co-president of the music club, lead singer in the choir, and captain of the comedy sports team. Not to mention that he was often one of the leads in the school plays.

Psyche offered Tsukishima a bright smile before laughing, “I’m not mad, silly. You must have a reason for being here; I just want to know what that reason is.” Tsukishima breathed out a sigh of relief, but was still a bit uncomfortable. Psyche was staring at him with bright, pink eyes, expecting an answer—one Tsukishima would have a hard time articulating. He must have just arrived home, judging by how he was still wearing his school uniform. Had he seen Tsukishima following Roppi the whole time?

“I needed to r-return something,” Tsukishima managed to stutter, feeling his face flush once again. Psyche nodded in approval, clapping his hands together excitedly.

“Oh? What is it? Homework? A book? A pencil? A confession letter?” Tsukishima’s face heated up more at the last option, but he did not have any time to respond as Psyche continued, “You know what? Why don’t you come inside and have some tea? I’m sure Saku wouldn’t mind!” Before Tsukishima had a chance to ask who “Saku” was or accept the invitation, Psyche had already grabbed ahold of his wrist and began dragging him through the gate and the garden. Once they had reached the porch, Psyche took off his shoes and Tsukishima managed to do the same. “I’m home,” Psyche called out before sliding open the door and gesturing for Tsukishima to enter. And he did so.

After placing his shoes on the convenient rack next to the sliding door, Tsukishima began taking in the environment. Traditional architecture: a high ceiling, tatami mats, bamboo plants, and shoji panels. The decor was simple, but distinctly opulent. By and large, this place was absolutely breath-taking. 

Tsukishima had been so preoccupied with the living room that he failed to notice the person seated at the room’s table. Said person took a sip of tea before responding to Psyche’s arrival.

“Welcome home,” he greeted before calmly taking another sip of his tea. “Why did you bring the mail carrier into our house? Our mailbox is outside.” Tsukishima blushed at not having recognized that another person was in the room. Immediately, he lowered his head in a bow and apologized quietly. Upon looking up, he realized how remarkably similar Psyche and the other person were. Physically, that is. The person seated at the table had a tranquil expression and wore a traditional kimono. A pink kimono.

“Don’t be silly Saku!” Ah, so that was the “Saku” Psyche had mentioned earlier. “Don’t you see his uniform? He’s a student! I think he’s in Roppi’s class.” The Saku merely nodded, gesturing for Tsukishima to come closer. And he did.

“My mistake, your bag led me to believe that you were our mailman.” Saku poured some more tea for himself before looking up at Tsukishima. “Please take a seat. Would you like some tea?” Saku offered, already pouring a cup for him. Tsukishima could only nod as he took a seat upon one of the pillows at the table. Once he was seated properly, Saku handed him the cup, which he accepted shakily. Considering how wealthy the Oriharas were, Tsukishima would not be surprised if the cup currently in his hands was worth the same as his tuition. Carefully, he took a sip and immediately smiled. The flavor was phenomenal.

“Thank you,” Tsukishima managed to say without stuttering. Psyche and Saku seemed rather nice, but Tsukishima was left to wonder where Roppi was. Perhaps upstairs, but he did not have the chance to ask due to Psyche speaking up again.

“I can’t believe you thought he was the mailman, haha. That was really rude of you, Saku! And then you didn’t even introduce yourself properly. And you’re always going on about manners and stuff. Tsk, tsk!” Psyche plopped onto the pillow next to Tsukishima before continuing. “Why did you make green tea? Blegh! The flavor is old-timey. Why haven’t you switched to soda, or at least lemonade? You need to change with the times or you’ll get left behind!”

It did not appear as if Psyche was going to cease talking anytime soon, but when Saku pulled out a pink bunny and waved it in front of Psyche’s face, his attention directed towards the plush animal.

“Remember, we have a guest. If you compose yourself, I’ll give you this. How does that sound, hmm?” Psyche nodded eagerly before extending his arms out to receive and embrace the bunny. Saku let out a contented sigh before shifting his gaze to Tsukishima. “My apologies once again, allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Sakuraya, the head of this house. That means your classmates and seniors—Psyche, Hibiya, and Roppi—are under my charge.” _Sakuraya, not Saku_ , Tsukishima corrected himself as Sakuraya took yet another sip of tea. “It is very nice to meet you,” he articulated while bowing his head slightly.

Tsukishima reciprocated the bow, deciding that he should probably introduce himself as well. “N-nice to meet you, I’m—”

“Sakuraya!” The three males seated at the table turned their heads towards another male descending the stairs. It was not Hachimenroppi; therefore it could only be…

“Yes, Hibiya, what is it?” Sakuraya responded as serenely as ever.

“I cannot seem to locate my…” Hibiya stopped speaking once his eyes landed on Tsukishima’s form, scrutinizing his appearance with a raised brow. “Why is the mail carrier present in our household?” Tsukishima self-consciously adjusted his messenger bag, not having enough courage to correct the male that just entered the living room.

“Hibi! That isn’t the mail carrier! This is Roppi’s classmate! Don’t you see his uniform? You shouldn’t make assumptions all willy nilly!” Psyche immediately rose from the pillow he had been sitting on, his cheeks puffed and his hands on his hips. It appeared as if he took more offense to the comment than Tsukishima did.

“Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones, dear brother. I would wager that you do not even know this individual’s appellation,” Hibiya retorted, crossing his arms. Psyche opened his mouth to respond, but unable to conjure up a name, he promptly closed it. Hibiya then turned his attention to Tsukishima in order to address him properly. “Forgive me, I do not believe we have ever been properly acquainted.”

Tsukishima shook his head rapidly, not wanting Hibiya to feel poorly for not knowing who he was, “No, it’s really oka—”

“My time is far too precious to waste on familiarizing with each and every peasant in the class below me,” Hibiya concluded, making Tsukishima blush and look to the side. He was wrong in his assumption; Hibiya did not actually care who he was.

“Why don’t you have some tea as well, Hibiya?” Sakuraya offered, once again pouring a cup before receiving a response. Hibiya did not answer verbally, instead taking a seat across from Psyche and next to Sakuraya. The cup was handed over and Hibiya drank from it delicately while Psyche once again plopped onto the pillow next to Tsukishima.

Tsukishima sighed, wanting to say something—anything—but his timidity made this difficult. Not only was he now seated with a stranger and out-going senior, but now the prince of the junior class. By the students, Hibiya was considered ethereal. They even referred to him as “prince” & “your majesty” and they were always at his beck and call, doing exactly as he ordered. Tsukishima was not exactly sure of what compelled them to follow Hibiya (maybe it was the golden crown he wore), but he did know that Hibiya was a well-rounded individual. Even with his duties as class president, he managed to maintain the best grades in his class, expertly play the violin, and win every calligraphy competition. Even though the other students often asked him to judge flower arrangement and tea-making competitions, Hibiya was still considered untouchable. That is, only a select few were allowed speak to him and no-one was allowed to make contact with his person. Tsukishima could not imagine a life without hugs and hand-holding, but Hibiya seemed to appreciate the lack of contact, so he assumed it was alright.

“It has been quite a while since we have had a guest,” Sakuraya suddenly noted. “Would you mind telling us why you decided to pay us a visit?” Tsukishima’s face once again turned red at being the center of attention, though he should have expected it.

“A-ah, Roppi left something at school and I came t-to return it.”

Psyche clapped excitedly before speaking in that usual, animated manner of his. “Was it his wallet? A piece of gum? A test? Oh, oh! Maybe his backpack? He’s forgotten it before!” Tsukishima shook his head, somewhat amused at the other continuing the guessing game from earlier.

“How could it possibly be his school bag? Do you see this individual lugging around such an object? Or do you believe Hachimenroppi’s bag could fit inside this messenger bag?” Hibiya inquired pejoratively. In response, Psyche’s cheeks puffed out again, indicating a bit of irritation.

“It was just a silly guess, Hibi, you don’t have to be so mad about it. You should loosen up a bit. No wonder everyone avoids you!” Psyche retorted, seemingly proud of himself.

“I already told you not to denominate me in such a way, you aberration of nature. If only nonsensical drivel spews out of your mouth, you should not speak at all.” Hibiya’s cheeks turned a bit red, from vexation, Tsukishima assumed.

Psyche pointed an accusatory finger across the table in Hibiya’s direction. “Why are you always calling me names? That’s no way to speak to your older brother! You’re the one always trying to pick fights. I was just trying to make our guest feel welcome!”

“By being an idiot?”

“At least I am not a stuck-up, wannabe prince!”

“I beg your pardon? I will not be insulted by a five-year-old trapped in an eighteen-year-old’s body,” Hibiya huffed in annoyance.

“Oh, yeah? Well, at least I don’t pass out every time I go for a run!” Psyche sneered indelicately. This riposte managed to finally break the prince’s composure.

“At least I do not fail nearly every test!” Hibiya slammed a fist onto the table, spilling one of the cups of tea. Tsukishima glanced over at Sakuraya who simply continued drinking tea, a small smile visible on his face. It did not appear as if he was going to stop them from arguing. In fact, it appeared as if he was enjoying it.

Tsukishima gulped before deciding he had to do something to calm them down. “W-well, I think you’re both nice…”

Psyche and Hibiya looked at each other before looking over in Tsukishima’s direction. “ _Him, nice_?” They both questioned at the same time.

“I-I mean, I don’t you very well, b-but I think so.” Neither of them said anything, so Tsukishima continued. “In your own ways, of course. Everyone has some nice q-qualities about them; I think people just need to look for them instead of looking at their faults. Um, I know that Psyche is a very talented person. He’s a great actor and an amazing singer. He’s really nice and welcoming, so he has a lot of friends.” Psyche smiled widely at the compliments, sticking his tongue out at Hibiya whereas Hibiya merely clicked his tongue. “H-Hibiya is a good person too! You’re altruistic and a really helpful class president. I always see you overlooking the class activities and making sure everything is perfect. P-plus, you’re really smart and a lot of people idolize you.” Hibiya blinked in surprise, but said nothing, seemingly contemplating over Tsukishima’s words. “S-so I think you both have nice traits and maybe if you recognized them, you would learn to get along b-better.”

“Well said,” Sakuraya complimented as Tsukishima’s face heated up again. “You both could learn a thing or two from this sophomore.” Psyche and Hibiya crossed their arms simultaneously, but did not voice any disagreement. With them quieted, Sakuraya turned his attention to Tsukishima. “It’s okay, they always fight like this.” That was not exactly comforting, but Sakuraya continued to smile. “You seem to be a good influence on others. Maybe you should visit more often.”

Tsukishima once again did not have the chance to respond as another male descended the stairs. Hachimenroppi.

“Ah, Roppi, would you like some tea? Green tea, actually.” Sakuraya offered with a gentle smile, gesturing towards the kettle.

“Why is he here?” Roppi rejected the offer by focusing on the more important matter. His hair was a mess (as it usually was) and he was no longer wearing his school clothing, having traded in the black uniform for casual clothing (that was just as black). But what caught Tsukishima’s eye the most was the fur coat he wore with red fur trimming. That was certainly an odd article of clothing and it made Tsukishima wonder why Roppi would wear such a thing. It did not even seem to fit him (the sleeves were a bit long and the coat was falling from one of his shoulders).

“He isn’t the mail carrier,” Psyche commented amusedly while Hibiya resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

“I know that,” Roppi snapped. “You know we shouldn’t have guests, so I suggest you send him out.”

“But he just got here,” Psyche whined. “And he’s really nice too! He came all this way just to return—”

“I don’t care. He shouldn’t be here.” Roppi remained firm in his opinion which made Tsukishima’s gut churn just a bit. It appeared as if Roppi really did not like him, or at least he was not too fond of his presence. How could he try to talk to Roppi at school if Roppi only knew him as the person who intruded on his house? Did Roppi hate him now? Did Roppi even remember the first time that they spoke? Tsukishima swallowed uneasily, suddenly feeling unwell. This nervousness compelled Tsukishima to fiddle with his scarf, accidentally making one end much longer than the other.

“Neither should you,” Hibiya noted expressionlessly. After a couple of seconds, he added, “I have come to appreciate this character and I believe you ought to allow him to fulfill his intended purpose.” 

“Fine, as long as he leaves right after,” Roppi relented, too tired to continue arguing with the rest of them. Tsukishima glanced at Sakuraya who nodded encouragingly before gulping and reaching into messenger bag to retrieve the pen. Apprehensively, he rose from the pillow and made his way over to Roppi. “You came all this way just to return a pen?” Roppi appeared genuinely surprised and that just made Tsukishima feel idiotic, but he nodded all the same.

Roppi raised a brow suspiciously, but extended his hand out to receive the pen. Tsukishima took another step forward, but being the clumsy individual that he is, he tripped on the long end of his scarf and fell forward… on top of Hachimenroppi.

“AH! I am so sorry! I am so sorry!” Tsukishima’s face turned completely red as he immediately moved off of the other, only Roppi was nowhere to be seen. In his place, there was a puff of white smoke which Tsukishima batted away with his hand. “Roppi…?”

And then a meow was heard.

Tsukishima finally managed to disperse the clouds and looked at the floor curiously. Roppi’s clothes were there, but Roppi’s body was gone. There was a little, moving bump in the shirt that caught Tsukishima’s attention. “Roppi?” Tsukishima questioned again. Then the bump moved towards the collar of the shirt, revealing the head of a black cat. It appeared to be rather agitated, hissing at Tsukishima before fully extricating itself from the pile of clothing. “A cat…?” Tsukishima blinked in stunned silence before letting out a shriek. “Oh, no! I turned him into a cat! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it! I don’t know how this happened, but I promise it was an accident!”

Psyche, Sakuraya, and Hibiya were beside him in an instant.

“It was a magic trick…” Psyche tried to explain.

“This is all just a dream…” Sakuraya articulated at the same time.

“You did not see anything…” Hibiya also attempted to cover up.

“We have to help him!” Tsukishima ignored, nearly bursting into tears. “He c-can’t live as a cat forever!” Whenever Tsukishima was feeling poorly, he was often comforted by his older brothers. The way that they calmed him down was by pulling him into a group hug and, not thinking clearly at the moment, Tsukishima pulled the other three Oriharas into a hug.

“Wait!” They tried to stop him, backing up, but it was too late. More smoke appeared and the three of them seemingly vanished. Tsukishima pulled away, looking at their clothing in his hands. The bundles of clothing were moving and Tsukishima shrieked again, falling down. He watched with wide eyes as a bunny jumped out of one of the bundles, a bird flew out of another, and a fox managed to disentangle itself from the last. 

Tsukishima nearly fainted at the sight. If staring at and thinking of someone too much was considered rude, then how rude was it to turn someone into an animal? The white bunny’s nose twitched, the black cat continued to hiss, the nightingale was currently perched atop his head, and the fox’s fur was puffed out. Needles to say, this was… problematic.


	2. The Name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is kind of short and kind of late, but here it is. The next chapter should be out much sooner.

Tsukishima could only watch as the animals continued to move about frantically. The situation was surreal and Tsukishima did not know what to make of it. Was he meant to take them to a hospital? Did he have to hug them to revert them back into humans? Was it truly just a magic trick? He certainly hoped it was. At the moment, he could hardly form coherent thoughts; it was taking all of his willpower not to pass out from surprise, confusion, and unease. 

“What do I do? What do I do?” Tsukishima continued to panic, glancing at each of the animals. It was in his nature to help in whatever way he could, but there did not appear to be any way in which he could assist them. Would they truly remain as animals forever? What did all of this mean? Were they cursed somehow? Feeling even more apprehensive, guilt began to overtake his senses. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled, holding back tears. “I don’t know how to help.”

The cat continued to glare at him, but faltered when Tsukishima began tearing up. The bird appeared indifferent, remaining perched atop Tsukishima’s head, whereas the bunny bounced around excitedly while the fox had already fled the room.

Tsukishima desperately tried to calm himself, knowing that being in a state of panic would not be helpful. Reminding himself to breathe, he considered his options: waiting, leaving, or calling his brothers for assistance. The last option seemed the most favorable, but just as he took out his phone, the cat jumped into his lap and hit the device out of his hand.

“You d-don’t want me to call anyone?” Tsukishima asked the feline, not really expecting a response. The black cat shook its head; it appeared less agitated than it was a couple of minutes ago which made Tsukishima sigh in something comparable to relief. “Okay, I won—”

He was unable to finish his sentence due to a puff of smoke materializing in front of him. It was so sudden, making the bird fly away, and as he made a motion to dissipate the cloud, he felt an unexpected weight on his lap. 

Tsukishima blinked. Righting his glasses back on his nose, he tried to make sense of the scene in front of him. He himself was still seated on the floor of the living room. The bird had flown away. The bunny was paused momentarily. The fox was still off hiding somewhere. The cat, however, was now replaced—by none other than Hachimenroppi. That was not too surprising, considering that Roppi had become the cat first, but what was startling Tsukishima greatly was the fact that Hachimenroppi—the classmate his thoughts had been revolving around, the male he followed to his home to return a pen, the adolescent that he had accidentally turned into a _cat_ —was now seated in his lap… completely naked.

Finally absorbing and acknowledging all of the facts, Tsukishima let out a high-pitched squeal, became as red as a strawberry, and slapped his hands over his eyes. “I-I-I did-di-didn’t, I didn’t! I didn’t- I-I—” Not able to articulate proper words, Tsukishima emitted a couple of incoherent noises, refusing to uncover his eyes.

It did not take long for Roppi to move himself off of Tsukishima, but his expression and thoughts were unknown. All Tsukishima could hear was some sort of sigh and rustling with what sounded like clothing. Tsukishima let out a shaky breath, not moving and not daring to peek. What… had just happened? Tsukishima reviewed the facts over and over again, but could not come to any sort of conclusion. Sure, he and his brothers possessed some kind of otherworldly strength, but he had just witnessed a bizarre form of magic! His curiosity was heightened, as was his excitement, but it was still outweighed by nervousness. Would they be insulted if he inquired about why they turned into animals? Would they be upset that he now knew of their secret? What if they killed everyone who learned of their condition? What if—

“Scarf boy, you can look now! We are all wearing clothes, haha! Not that it matters, considering you already saw—” A pained noise followed Psyche’s exclamations which prompted Tsukishima into opening his eyes. It was true; they were all dressed back into the kimono, uniforms, and casual clothing. Psyche was rubbing the top of his head as if he had been hit, which was probably what had transpired. They were all standing, save for Tsukishima who remained on the floor in a state of disorientation. “Never mind that! I am sure you have questions!”

“Questions that he will not receive answers to,” Roppi interjected with a bite that suggested his comment was irrefutable. No one said anything, Hibiya crossing his arms and facing away from the group & Sakuraya somehow still smiling softly despite it all. Tsukishima gulped before shakily making his way to his feet.

“What do I—” Tsukishima began to inquire before being cut off by the former cat.

“Leave.”

“Leave?”

“Are you an idiot?”

Another gulp before a hesitant nod. Tsukishima righted his messenger bag before slowly making his way to the front door. Trying to suppress his trembles only increased them and as he reached for the door knob, he heard a voice call out to him.

“And if you tell _anyone_ … you’ll regret it, _Tsukishima_.” Hachimenroppi knowing his name would have brought him insurmountable happiness in any other circumstance, but with what had just happened and with the way it was said, it gave Tsukishima a very unpleasant feeling.

**Author's Note:**

> I feel the need to apologize, but at least you have made it this far. Any comments?


End file.
